Cushion construction



Filed Feb. 4, 1966 [74 venzar' James O. .7255 270 ztarney United States Patent 3,327,333 CUSHION CONSTRUCTION James 0. Jessup, Hickory, N.C., assignor to Wood Conversion Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 4, 1966, er. No. 525,093 4 Claims. (Cl. 355) The present invention relates to cushions, and in particular, to reversible cushions suitable for chairs, sofas and the like.

It is the object of the invention to provide a cushion of improved construction which is easily produced.

Preferred forms of the cushion are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a face view of a cushion with top layers partly broken away.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-section of the cushion of FIG. 1 on the line 2-2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a portion of a modified form of the cushion shown in FIG. 2.

The cushion has a core in the form of a block of resilient foam. A preferred foam is polyurethane, and one Which per se is too firm for cushion use. To preserve the rigidity at local areas and the density of such a core, and to reduce its firmness, it is provided with holes 12 arranged in any suitable pattern as needed for the use intended. As shown the holes 12' form a curved line for use in a chair. Over at least one of the faces, and preferably over both of the faces, the cushion is provided with stuffing and ticking. As shown, the faces 14 and 16 are covered with layers of scrim 18 and 20, respectively. Over the scrim layers are layers of cushioning fiber 22 and 24, respectively, extending to the vicinity of the edges of the covered faces. The preferred fiber is one of polyester. Over the fiber layers are layers of ticking 26 and 28, respectively. The ticking layers extend all around beyond the edges of the core which define the faces 14 and 16, the extending portions being designated 26' and 28'.

According to the present invention the extending portions of the ticking are provided to facilitate securing the ticking at each face independently of the ticking at the other face. This is done by sewing the ticking to extending edge portions of tape adhesively secured to the sides of the core by adhesive. A single tape may be used for the two faces, or for two cushioned faces separate tapes may be used.

FIG. 2 shows two tapes 30 and 32 spaced apart with at least a contacting portion thereof secured to the sides 10' of the core 10 by adhesive 3!) and 32. Portions of each tape extend beyond and away from the edges of the core which define the covered faces. Tape 30 has the extending portion 36*" meeting the extended ticking portion 26'. Tape 32 has its extending portion 32" meeting the extended ticking portion 28'. The exposed sides of the foam facilitate breathing of the foam as it is compressed and then expanded in use.

The extending portions of the tapes and ticking lastdescribed meet substantially at the edges of the core defining the covered faces. At or in the immediate vicinity of these edges the meeting extensions are sewed together forming a line of stitching 34 on the face shown in FIG. 1, and on the opposite face (FIG. 2) a line of stitchin 36.

FIG. 3 shows a structure similar to that of FIG. 2, in which one wide tape 40 is used, united by adhesive 40' over only a portion of its width against the sides of core 10, thus eliminating the visual portion of the core shown in FIG. 2 between the tapes 3!] and 32.

Although the two-tape structure of FIG. 2 is desirable for the breathing of the foam, the one-tape structure of "ice FIG. 3 has its advantages. It reduces labor in construction, but in. addition, it completely hides the core. Polyurethane foam gradually discolors with age, and such discoloration, although harmless as to the function of the foam, may be disturbing to possessors of the cushion When the usual zippered casing is removed. The one-tape structure presents a more finished appearance to the cushion.

The scrim 18 and 20 functions when the foam body is provided with holes. Without the scrim the cushioning fiber can gradually work into the holes, depleting its cushioning supply, and forming thin spots of it over the holes. The scrim is representative of any flexible sheet to engage the fibers and partition them from the holes.

In order to keep the scrim or other partitioning sheet from crawling, it is secured in place in the vicinity of the edges of the core. One way is to extend the scrim sheets 18 and 20- all around away from and beyond the edges of the foam faces so that such extensions 18' and 20' may be sewed between the tape and the ticking.

In order to minimize displacement of the fibers which face the ticking, an intervening cover sheet is supplied which is fixed in position. A fabric covering may carry a coating of adhesive to which the fibers are secured, but it is preferred to use a sheet of scrim, of which the meshes and threads engage the surface fibers and minimize shifting. In the drawing the covering scrim sheets are designated 42 and 44 with edges 42' and 44' extending all around beyond the edges of the respective faces of the foam core. Such extending edges are sewed between the tape and the ticking. Additionally, one or both of the scrim sheets at a core face may be sprayed with adhesive for securing the fibers to the scrim as additional means to minimize shifting of fibers.

From the foregoing it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exemplary detail, and that other embodiments are contemplated as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cushion comprising in combination a core in the form of a block of resilient foam of controlled resilience and having a plurality of resilience-controlling holes therethrough, a cushioning layer of fibers over at least one face of the core and extending to the vicinity of the edges of the core defining said face, a covering scrim sheet between said core and layer of fibers having engagement with the fibers, said sheet extending all around at least to the edges of the core, a sheet of ticking over said layers of fibers, said ticking extending all around beyond and away from said edges of the core, and a peripheral tape having a portion of its width adhesively united all around to the sides of the core and at least a portion of the remaining width of the tape extending freely all around away from and beyond said edges of the core, said extending portion of the tape being secured to said ticking on lines located in the vicinity of said edges of the core, and said covering scrim sheet being secured all around in the vicinity of the edges of the core.

2. A cushion according to claim 1 having both faces of the core similarly covered.

3. A cushion comprising in combination a core in the form of a block of resilient foam of controlled resilience and having a plurality of resilience-controlling holes therethrough, a cushioning layer of fibers over at least one face of the core and extending to the vicinity of the edges of the core defining said face, a partitioning scrim sheet between said core and fibers having engagement with said fibers, said partitioning scrim sheet extending all around at least to the said edges of the core, a covering scrim sheet over said fibers having engagement with the fibers, said sheet extending all around at least to the edges of the core, a sheet of ticking over said covering sheet, said ticking extending all around beyond and away from said edges of the core, a peripheral tape having a portion of its width adhesively united all around to the sides of the core and at least a portion of the remaining Width of the tape extending freely all around away from and beyond said edges of the core, said extending portion of the tape being secured to said ticking on lines located in the vicinity of said edges of the core, and said partitioning and covering scrim sheets secured all around in the vicinity of the edges of the core.

4. A cushion according to claim 1 in which the extending portion of the tape is secured by sewing.

Higgins et al 5361 Sarbach 5361 X Bell 5355 Wetzler 5-355 X Calderneyer et a1. 297-452 Snyder 5355 Marsh et al. 5-3 61 CASMIR A, NUNBERG, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CUSHION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A CORE IN THE FORM OF A BLOCK OF RESILIENT FOAM OF CONTROLLED RESILIENCE AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF RESILIENCE-CONTROLLING HOLES THERETHROUGH, A CUSHIONING LAYER OF FIBERS OVER AT LEAST ON FACE OF THE CORE AND EXTENDING TO THE VICINITY OF THE EDGES OF THE CORE DEFINING SAID FACE, A COVERING SCRIM SHEET BETWEEN SAID CORE AND LAYER OF FIBERS HAVING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FIBERS, SAID SHEET EXTENDING ALL AROUND AT LEAST TO THE EDGES OF THE CORE, A SHEET OF TICKING OVER SAID LAYERS OF FIBERS, SAID TICKING EXTENDING ALL AROUND BEYOND AND AWAY FROM SAID EDGES OF THE CORE, AND A PERIPHERAL TAPE HAVE A PORTION OF ITS WIDTH ADHESIVELY UNITED ALL AROUND TO THE SIDES OF THE CORE AND AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE REMAINING WIDTH OF THE TAPE EXTENDING FREELY ALL AROUND AWAY FROM AND BEYOND SAID EDGES OF THE CORE, SAID EXTENDING PORTION OF THE TAPE BEING SECURED TO SAID TICKING ON LINES LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF SAID EDGES OF THE CORE, AND SAID COVERING SCRIM SHEET BEING SECURED ALL AROUND IN THE VICINITY OF THE EDGES OF THE CORE. 